Thermal management system for a vehicle

Abstract

A thermal management system for a vehicle includes an engine operable to generate energy. An energy storage unit may be associated with the engine and adapted to receive and store the energy generated by the engine. A temperature control unit may be associated with the energy storage unit and adapted to control a temperature in the vehicle. The temperature control unit may be adapted to selectively draw stored energy from the energy storage unit to control the temperature when the engine is not operating. A controller may be adapted to monitor an operating condition of the thermal management system and to control the transfer of the energy from the engine to the energy storage unit based on the monitored operating condition.

1. A thermal management system for a vehicle, comprising:
 an engine operable to generate energy; 
 an energy storage unit associated with the engine and adapted to receive and store the energy generated by the engine; 
 a temperature control unit associated with the energy storage unit and adapted to control a temperature in the vehicle, the temperature control unit being adapted to selectively draw stored energy from the energy storage unit to control the temperature when the engine is not operating; and 
 a controller adapted to monitor an operating condition of the thermal management system, and to control the transfer of the energy from the engine to the energy storage unit based on the monitored operating condition. 
 
   
   
     2. The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitored operating condition is an efficiency level of the engine, and the controller is adapted to transfer energy from the engine to the energy storage unit when the engine is operating above a threshold efficiency level. 
   
   
     3. The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transfer energy from the engine to the energy storage unit when the energy level in the energy storage unit falls below a threshold energy level. 
   
   
     4. The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitored operating condition is an energy level of the energy storage unit, and the controller is adapted to turn off the engine and stop the transfer of energy when the energy level of the energy storage unit reaches a threshold energy level. 
   
   
     5. The thermal management system of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further adapted to start the engine and transfer energy when the energy level of the energy storage unit falls below a threshold energy level. 
   
   
     6. The thermal management system of  claim 1 , further including an operator interface in communication with the controller, the operator interface being configured to receive a command as an input from an operator and send the command to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted to automatically control the transfer of the energy from the engine to the energy storage unit in response to the command. 
   
   
     7. The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein the command is a desired length of time for maintaining the temperature, and wherein the controller is adapted to determine an amount of energy required to maintain the temperature for the desired length of time, and is further adapted to control the transfer of energy from the engine to the energy storage unit to store the determined amount of energy. 
   
   
     8. The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes an engine controller and an energy storage unit controller. 
   
   
     9. The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy storage unit is one of an electrical energy storage unit and a thermal energy storage unit. 
   
   
     10. The thermal management system of  claim 1 , further including a variable speed compressor associated with the temperature control unit, the controller being adapted to control the compressor to operate at a first compressor speed when the engine is operating at a first efficiency level, and to control the compressor to operate at a second, different compressor speed when the engine is operating at a second, different efficiency level. 
   
   
     11. A method for managing a thermal system for a vehicle, comprising:
 generating energy with an engine; 
 transferring the energy from the engine to an energy storage unit; 
 storing the transferred energy in the energy storage unit; 
 selectively drawing the stored energy from the energy storage unit to control a temperature in the vehicle when the engine is not operating; 
 monitoring an operating condition of the system; and 
 controlling the transfer of the energy from the engine to the energy storage unit based on the monitored operating condition. 
 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the monitored operating condition is an efficiency level of the engine, and the method further includes transferring the energy from the engine to the energy storage unit when the engine is operating above a threshold efficiency level. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 12 , further including transferring the energy from the engine to the energy storage unit when the energy level in the energy storage unit falls below a threshold energy level. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the monitored operating condition is an energy level of the energy storage unit, and the method further includes turning off the engine and deactivating the transfer of energy when the energy level of the energy storage unit reaches a threshold energy level. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 14 , further including starting the engine and activating the transfer of energy when the energy level of the energy storage unit falls below a threshold energy level. 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 11 , further including:
 receiving a command as an input from an operator interface; and 
 automatically controlling the transfer of the energy from the engine to the energy storage unit in response to the command. 
 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the command is a desired length of time for maintaining the temperature, and the method further includes:
 determining an amount of energy required to maintain the temperature for the desired length of time; and 
 storing the determined amount of energy. 
 
   
   
     18. The method of  claim 11 , wherein a variable speed compressor is associated with the temperature control unit, the method including
 operating a variable speed compressor associated with the temperature control unit at a first compressor speed when the engine is operating at a first efficiency and operating the compressor at a second, different compressor speed when the engine is operating at a second, different efficiency. 
 
   
   
     19. An on-highway truck, comprising:
 an operator compartment; and 
 a thermal management system including
 an engine operable to generate energy, 
 an energy storage unit associated with the engine and adapted to receive and store energy generated by the engine, 
 a temperature control unit associated with the energy storage unit and adapted to control a temperature in the operator compartment, the temperature control unit being adapted to selectively draw stored energy from the energy storage unit to control the temperature when the engine is not operating, and 
 a controller adapted to monitor an efficiency level of the engine and an energy level of the energy storage unit, the controller being adapted to automatically transfer energy from the engine to the energy storage unit when the engine is operating above a threshold efficiency level and the energy level of the energy storage unit is below a threshold energy level. 
 
 
   
   
     20. The on-highway truck of  claim 19 , wherein the controller is further adapted to turn off the engine and stop the transfer of energy when the energy level of the energy storage unit reaches a second threshold energy level. 
   
   
     21. The on-highway truck of  claim 20 , wherein the controller is further adapted to start the engine and transfer energy when the energy level of the energy storage unit falls below a threshold energy level. 
   
   
     22. The on-highway truck of  claim 19 , further including an operator interface in communication with the controller, the operator interface being configured to receive a command as an input from an operator and send the command to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted to automatically control the transfer of the energy from the engine to the energy storage unit in response to the command.